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Beijing reveals plans for the largest airport terminal in the world

Beijing reveals plans for the largest airport terminal in the world

Beijing International Airport has revealed its plans to build the largest airport terminal in the world in order to cater to the increasing number of Chinese tourists who are eager to travel the world.

Set to open its doors in 2018, the huge terminal is expected to take up a whopping 700,000 square metres and accommodate up to 45 million passengers every year.

The perfect welcome to Beijing

The famous British-Iraqi architect, Zaha Hadid, collaborated with airport developers to create a staggering six tier building design for the terminal.

The whole concept is aimed at reducing the walking distance for passengers and increase connectivity.

This would make the new airport the perfect welcome to Beijing with the design creating feelings of openness and space through the shape of the building and the lack of pillars on the inside.

Each passenger pathway will be located in a “central multi-layered courtyard” which will be the official meeting place for all travellers from around the globe.

Hadid’s design states that the overall structure for the terminal will guide travellers easily through the building and mirror the “harmony and balance” between China’s landscape and its culture.

Responding to growing demand

Beijing’s decision to build a brand new terminal – which will be the biggest in the world – comes after their international airport noted an increase in passenger numbers over recent years.

Beijing International Airport, which is also known as Daxing Airport, is the second busiest airport in the world after Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta.

It is even busier than London’s Heathrow Airport which takes the title of third busiest airport in the world and witnessed 73 million passengers pass through its gates in the last 12 months alone.

Research by the Bank of America Merrill Lynch found that there were 109 million Chinese tourists travelling abroad last year and spending a massive $164 billion (c. £106 billion).

This is a considerable increase on the modest number of tourists who travelled from Beijing in 2000 – just 10 million tourists.

Are you interested in travelling abroad and taking in the stunning architecture of the new Beijing airport? It’s important to ensure you have long-haul travel insurance in advance before you fly